BERLIN – More than 3,000 people are expected at one local town’s annual New Year’s Celebration & Ball Drop.

The Berlin event has been popular with locals for years, meaning parking is relatively painless despite the crowds.

“The weather is supposed to be good, and we’re expecting another big crowd,” said Michael Day, Berlin’s main street coordinator. “We changed DJs this year, and have a WOCM Seacrets radio guy coming over, Big Al Reno. He helped out a little last year, and he’s also one of our emcees for the Oktoberfest. We really like him a lot.”

Unlike other Berlin events, many of the town’s business and art galleries will be closed during the event.

“A lot of people equate it to the Times Square experience on a small scale, and that’s how we bill it,” Day said.

Hamburgers and hot dogs will be sold by street vendors. Carriage and buggy rides will be available, and the Globe and the Atlantic Hotel will have an outdoor setup selling drinks. The town’s open container law is also suspended for the night.

Burley Oak will host a before- and after-party around the event.

“This will be our fourth year, and it’s become such a big tradition,” Day said. “The crowd just builds and builds until we drop the ball at midnight. Everybody loves it and thinks it’s one of the absolute best thing going.”

Day likened the event to a “community pep rally,” drawing everyone from traditional partygoers to young children.

“The town foots the bill for the whole thing, and we don’t try to get sponsors or anything like that. It just brings the town together,” he said. “A lot of people don’t want to be out on the road that night, and it gives our local citizens the chance to celebrate locally and not be on the road with all the crazies.”

“It’s a great New Year’s Eve experience — Americana at its best,” Day said.

Berlin is also in the running for America’s Coolest Small Town, a contest hosted by Budget Travel. The town made the Top 15, and the next round of voting begins in January.